CANDON CITY, Oct. 9 – – Forty-three recipients of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa – Livelihood Seeding Program (PBG-LSP) from the two communist-terrorist group (CTG) affected barangays in Candon City received Goat/Hog Raising Livelihood Starter Kits Thursday, October 8.
Eighteen recipients from barangay Bugnay graduated from the 11-day training program in raise organic small ruminants leading to Organic Agriculture Production NC II and 25 recipients from barangay Tablac graduated from the 13-day Training on Integrated Organic Farming System Program-Raise Organic Hogs under the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP) of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) funded by the Office of Ilocos Sur Second District Representative Kristine Singson.
Each of the recipients from Brgy. Bugnay received two goat heads while the recipients from Brgy. Tablac received two piglet heads with four sacks of Rice Bran.
The TESDA, through its provincial office headed by provincial director Socorro Galanto, also awarded the Training Support Fund of the recipients amounting to P2, 760 for Brgy. Bugnay and P3, 080 for Brgy. Tablac (P160 per training day plus P1000 for internet and PPE allowance) as financial assistance aside from the said livelihood kits from the DTI.
John Vincent Justo, one of the recipients in Brgy. Bugnay, expressed his gratitude to the TESDA for conducting the training as well as to the trainers for patiently teaching them everything they must know in raising small ruminants.
“Itong mga napag-aralan namin ay mai-apply namin para makamit ang vision na gawing “Kalding (Goat) Capital of Candon City” ang aming barangay dahil naniniwala kami na lahat ng malaking bagay ay nagsisimula sa maliit na hakbang,” he said.
“Ipinapangako namin na hindi masasayang ang mga tulong na ito dahil gagamitin namin upang mapalago ang aming pamumuhay hindi lamang para sa aming sarili kundi para sa aming barangay, sa ating probinsiya at sa buong Pilipinas,” he added.
Along with the TESDA and other national government agencies (NGAs), as members of the Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, DTI-Ilocos Sur Provincial Director Grace Lapastora conveyed her excitement during her message to the recipients as she is hopeful that this program will not only bring change to the recipients but progress to the whole community of Brgy. Bugnay.
“If you are eager and excited to receive your livelihood kits today, mas excited po ang government na magbigay sa inyo dahil iyong ibibigay sa inyo is a hope that through your effort, you will be the catalyst that will bring about the progress of the economy of barangay Bugnay,” she said.
Moreover, Candon City Mayor Ericson Singson assured that amid the COVID-19, the local government unit (LGU) along with various NGAs and the provincial government will continue to give assistance for the welfare of the residents.
“Bigyan natin ng tyansa ang mga tulong na ibinibigay ng ating gobierno at ating yakapin ang mapayapang pamumuhay. Isipin natin ang ating pamilya at ang ating komunidad at puno ako ng pag-asa na magtutuloy-tuloy ang inyong suporta sa gobierno. Palakihin at palaguhin niyo ang mga kambing at baboy na ito dahil kahit may banta ng pandemya, ang taos-pusong pagtulong ng ating gobierno ay hindi nawawala upang mapaunlad ang inyong pamumuhay,” he said.
The activity was also attended by representatives from the Office of the Ilocos Sur Second District Representative Kristine Singson, Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson represented by Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members (SPMs) Trade and Industry Committee Chairperson Gina Cordero and Vice Chair Jaime Singson, Battalion Executive Officer Major Renante Carsano of the 81st Infantry Battalion, 702nd Infantry Brigade Philippine Army, Sangguniang Panlungsod Member Aileen Acal of LGU Candon, and Fe Valdez of the Department of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos Sur.
